My Sweet Creations

InstaFriday, My Week In Photos

2012-03-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

Yet another week of InstaFriday over at http://liferearranged.com/

You can also go there to link up and share your week through cell phone photos!

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies from AllRecipes.com
I added extra salt, but these cookies are a flavorful combination of oats, peanut butter and milk chocolate chips.

View of downtown from the outdoor patio where we ate breakfast last weekend. We rode out bikes 10.5 miles round trip to the city and back. One of our family favorite things to do.

My Caramel Macchiato I get from Brickyard when we ride out bikes downtown.

Supplies I have to date for daughter's upcoming 6th Birthday. Going for a retro candy shop kinda theme.

Awesome material I picked up from the library.

I didn't know when I would get to use my aqua potato masher since I bought it solely for the color. I made homemade red mashed potatos this week and used it for the first time!

Disgusting Skinny Vanilla Latte from Starbucks. I thought it would just have a skim milk, but they must use a sugar free syrup as well and I can't stand sugar free products. First latte in my history that I threw away.

It rained, although I can;t remember which day that was.....Monday?

My jewels for the day, all thrifted from Goodwill.

Saw these tape dispensers at Staples and I picked one up for $3.99. It actually comes in handy and fits in nicely with my newly redone kitchen office cabinet. You can see the video on my YouTube Channel.

Lots of errands on Tuesday. Had to stay organized with the many stops I had to make.

One stop included Costco. I saw my vacuum recently went down in price and snapped a photo of this sign and took it to customer service and got a price adjustment. :)

I don't buy nail polish often, but I had a coupon for the L'Oreal and I picked out a beautiful nude color. I am pretty impressed with their formula, no chipping all week and I am hard on my nail polish.

Really? Seriously? Patato. The sad part is this coloring contest sheet was placed next to the potatoes at the grocery.

Mmmm....falafel sandwich.

My daughter took this picture of her American Girl Doll furniture that she set up.

New shirt I found at Goodwill.

Dove Coconut Creme Eggs. Delicious. Ate the whole bag within 48 hours.

Dove Coconut Creme Eggs

2012-02-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Yeah......serious goodness not to be missed if you are a coconut lover.

I managed to walk out of Target without a bag of these last week when I was browsing the Easter candies. They cost $3.99 a bag and it didn't seem like there were many inside the bag, so I thought I would wait.

Well, I was at Target today and besides exchanging a pair of sunglasses and scoring a huge spool of yellow ribbon on clearance for $0.51 cents that I will need for my daughter's upcoming birthday party, my cart was empty. I couldn't make just a fifty cent purchase so I grabbed a bag of these Dove Coconut Creme Eggs this time.
They are wrapped in pretty teal foil.

As I unwrapped them, the eggs were very plain looking, no cute design or anything. It is the taste that matters, right?

So I bit into one. Wow. Seriously.....wow. I have had Coconut M&M's (which I like) and Coconut Hershey Kisses, but those seems to melt into my mouth quickly and then it is gone. With these, the eggs are really a 2 or 3 biters. I find with Dove, the chocolate is much more silky and smooth and it seems to linger in the mouth longer. The coconut also has a thick silky smooth texture much like the milk chocolate and I found that I enjoy the taste of these Coconut Creme Eggs much more than any other coconut candy to date.

If you like coconut flavored candy, do not be put off by the $3.99 price as I was at first. It is worth the price! I noticed they also have Peanut Butter Eggs in addition to their classic combinations. I have a 5 year old who loves coconut candy that would be thrilled to find some of these in her Easter basket.

Thrifty Outfit of the Day

2012-02-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

My thrifty outfit of the day. The only way to go.

InstaFriday, My Week in Photos

2012-02-24T21:21:00.000-08:00

My life this week in cell phone pictures!

A photo I took this morning that I love!

Mmmmm.....made this Home Style Macaroni and Cheese recipe from AllRecipes.com
It is my favorite. Seriously, you should try it.

Close up of the pattern on my "old lady" top I found at Goodwill. I actually love this top and the necklaces are from Goodwill too.

A delicious carrot cake I made this week.

Daughter is walking to the park.

I deep cleaned my daughter's room. I took everything out of her closet. This is part of my mess...

...and this is the other half of my mess. I really tore everything apart and reorganized.

Made some crepes for the first time. They were okay. Also made some homemade whipped cream and strawberry sauce to go with it.

Trying on shoes at TJ Maxx. The patent nude wedges I loved! They were by Anne Klein. The blue wedges were by BCBG. I always wanted blue shoes...

...so I got them and they cost $13.

Vases I saw at Home Goods.

Made some chocolate shortbread from my new Extraordinary Cakes cookbook. This was before it went into the oven.

How I decided to save and store my daughter's Valentine momentos.

Mmmmm.........we went to one of our favorite Greek places.

Got a new camera and was this close to returning it today because after a week my videos were not importing into my computer. After a couple of calls to Sony today I learned that HD videos are different and I needed converting programs and codes and on and on.....I was frustrated to say the least and when I was ready to give up a short while ago, I FINALLY got it to work! Yay.

Getting ready to run some hills.

Extraordinary Desserts

2012-02-23T20:26:00.001-08:00

I can't believe I forgot to share these drool worthy photos with you all! My friends and I went to Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego a few weeks ago for dessert. You have to understand something....I think most people order real food and may share a piece of cake but when we go we each order two desserts. The amount of dessert on our table probably makes us a spectacle, but that is okay, last time our hostess said they don't judge. ;)

Here is the link to Extraordinary Desserts website: http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/

Let's get started...

This is the Little Italy location in San Diego.

Instantly greeted by dessert cases....

....and instantly overwhlemed. Don't worry, you can tell everyone else around you is equally overwhelmed by what to choose.

More....

Full cakes available for purchase.

We got our table number and my friends and I wrote down our desserts. Each time we have gone to Extraordinary Desserts we pick different desserts so we can share and taste each delectable one.

They do offer real food and from what I have heard it is great. I never got around to the real food because I get hyper-focused on the desserts.

Dulce de Leche: A crunchy milk chocolate confection is hidden between layers of chocolate cake and creamy chocolate mousse. Homemade dulce de leche finishes this over the top chocolate torte.

Blood Orange Ricotta Torte: Sweet and tangy. This ricotta torte is soaked with fresh blood orange juice and layered with blood orange whipped cream, juicy raspberries and cranberries.

A close up of the tasty topping including edible gold on the strawberry.

Milk Chocolate Meringue

Sorry, I can't remember what this is, but it tasted like a gooey s'more.

Chocolate Shortbread

Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie

Shangri-La: Heavenly. White chocolate mousse, guava mousse, fresh strawberries and whipped cream are layered between vanilla cakes moistened with kirsch.

This is what the Shangri-La looks like as a whole cake.

Au-Chocolate: Rich and creamy Valrhona dark chocolate mousse tops a thick layer of chocolate cake soaked in cocoa and covered in dark chocolate ganache.

Me and my two desserts, the Blood Orange Ricotta & Dulce de Leche.

A table full of desserts.

My leftovers I enjoyed the next day at home.

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-02-22T19:16:00.001-08:00

Stop on over at The Pleated Poppy to find inspiration and see what other are wearing. I know I discovered What I Wore Wedneday shortlyy after it began and got me thinking about the black yoga pants I once lived in everyday!

This week I will also be sharing some of the thrift store outfits I found. I like to take photos when I try something on because I am very indecisive and intead of trying on an article of clothing on multiple times to make sure I like it, I can refer back to the photo on my phone to see what it looks like on me.

Here we go....!

This is what I actually wore today. Seven for All Mankind Jeans, Michael Kors black and white top, Ann Taylor Loft black sweater and gray sunglasses from Target.

These are my treasures I tried and on purchased from the thrift store today. The top is J. Crew black and gray waffle knit striped, Express denim shorts. The sandals I already had on are Born.

Another J. Crew shirt I snagged, this is a gray and white striped long sleeve tissue tee.

J. Crew City Fit super soft gray casual pants.

Jones New York printed top. I debated this one for a while and ended up getting it too. I love the higher neckline and the sleeve openings. It is comfy and I will wear it casually.

Close up.....it is actually gray with pink and white. If I am unsure I usually take a picture and text it to my sister for a quick opinion! :)

Trying it on with the jeans as I continue to debate.

Almost got this red and white Banana Republic top, but I put it back. It looked great with the black sweater that I already had on today.

Later I went running......Nike Free Run 2 shoes and Champion from Target running leggings.

From a few days ago......Ann Taylor Loft black and gray animal print top....super comfy. Joes Jeans.

Hair.

Valentine's Day outfit from last week. Joes Jeans, Mossimo red tank, Mossimo from Target plaid top.

The red flower is also from Target, something they just got in, located with the jewelry FYI.

This is an Ann Taylor top I got last week.

J. Crew dress......LOVE IT. It fits like it was made just for me and I dig the vintage housewife look of it.

Boys baseball tee.

Michael Kors top, Joes Jeans, black heels.

Thanks for checking out What I Wore Wednesdays....MySweetCreations addition. :)

Fiber One Kid Approved Trail Mix

2012-02-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

As an AllRecipes Allstar on AllRecipes.com we were asked to make and provide feedback for Fiber One Chocolate-Peanut Butter Haystacks. Believe me, this was no problem because after switching semi-sweet for milk chocolate I made these several times in the last two weeks. Pure deliciousness.

As an Allstar, we were also asked to create a recipe using Fiber One cereal. We were provided with two boxes of Fiber One Original Bran cereal. My mind started with wander, imagining what I could make with this product.

I still have ideas of dessert recipe in which I could incorporate Fiber One, but I am training for a half marathon which is in a couple of weeks and I haven't been making many desserts in the past several months. I decided to make a kid friendly trail mix with the cereal. After being introduced to Fiber One through the AllRecipes Allstar program, I decided to browse my grocery store to see what else Fiber One offers. I discovered they carry several different cereals. I settled on a combination of Fiber One Honey Squares and Fiber One Original Bran for my trail mix recipe.

You have to keep it fun for the kids, but this recipe is easily adjustable. It is a great way for your children to get their fiber without even realizing it. Yogurt chips are somewhat difficult to find. You may want to check a healthy grocery store like Whole Foods, Sprouts, or Henry's. You can also purchase yogurt chips from bulk food candy websites as well.

Fiber One Kid Approved Trail Mix

2 Cups FiberOne Honey Squares Cereal

½ Cup FiberOne Original Bran Cereal

½ Cup Yogurt Chips

½ Cup M&M’s

½ Cup Roasted Peanut Halves

Simply mix together the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

This recipe yields 3 cups of trail mix and serves 6.

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador(a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on http://tastingmysweetcreations.blogspot.com/ . The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of my own, MySweetCreations.

InstaFriday: My Life in Photos

2012-02-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

I snagged a bag of Birthday Cake Oreos a day after viewing the commercial on TV. Tasty!

My cat woke up Friday morning limping so I took her to the vet. The vet has two cats that live in the waiting room and they climbed over to check out my cat in her pet carrier. So cute.

This is my cat, Haylee, after the vet. She was looking for my attention.

I finally bought myself some makeup and I am totally in love with it. Estee Lauder foundation that really works with coverage, that stays on, yet is light and smooth. Also got the Benefit brow wax and powder which is amazing and an Estee Lauder highlighting creme.

Made the Sesame Noodles recipe from AllRecipes.com
It was delicious.

Made up some Valentine sweet treat gift bags for my daughter to give her neighborhood friends at a party this Saturday.

Enjoyed a Pumpkin Spice Latte at my local Starbucks...they still have the syrup left!

Alexa got to climb into a tree.

Okay, okay......I know a lot of cat photos this week! She was just so adorable this week. I was trying to read my new cookbook on the living room floor and she kept laying on it so I got out my novel and opened it for her to lay on. Problem solved.

My new Ann Taylor Loft top. I got this at a local resale store and I love it.

Making out Valentine' Day cards to her classmates. So sweet!

My Valentine's Day outfit.

Sporting a flower pin in my hair. I got it at Target a couple of weeks ago for $7.99. Works as a hair pin or you could pin it onto a sweater too.

Trying on clothes at the thrift store. I got this top, it is Ann Taylor for $3.99. I loved the skirt but this time of my life it isn't practical.

I spy new M&M's at Target. Haven't tried them yet.

I told you, lots of cat pictures this week! My kitty crawled onto my back as she often does while I was hunched over the computer. This was the first time she decided to lay down and fall asleep. She was even snoring! Adorable!

Homemade Snickers Bars

2012-02-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

**Homemade Snickers Bars adapted from Taste of Home recipe. Original recipe can be viewed here! **

Homemade Snickers Bars

1st Layer: Chocolate Peanut Butter

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

Grease your 9x13 baking pan with butter. Melt ingredients together in the microwave, then pour into the baking dish and spread until even. Place pan into the fridge and allow to cool and harden.

2nd Layer: Nougat

1/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Turn off heat and fold in peanuts, then pour over bottom chocolate layer. Place into the fridge allow it to cool and set completely.

3rd Layer: Caramel:

1 14-ounce bag of caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely in the fridge until set.

4th Layer: Chocolate Peanut Butter:

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt ingredients together in the microwave, then pour over caramel and spread until even. Allow the final layer to cool and harden in the fridge.

Keep in mind that this recipe takes some time because you have to allow each layer to cool and set before moving on to the next layer. Trust me, it is totally worth it! I stored my bars in the fridge. You may need to let them set out for a few minutes to soften before cutting. Enjoy!

~MSC

InstaFriday

2012-02-10T17:27:00.000-08:00

My life this week, in photos.

Made these FiberOne Chocolate-Peanut Butter Haystacks from AllRecipes.com and they are delicious.

Training for my first half marathon and ran 9 miles on Tuesday. I drink one of these before going for a long run. 9 miles is my longest run to date.

Made cookie dough with my daughter's Kindergarten class. I had to dash home to bake the cookies and return to class in an hour and a half this day.

Been searching for yogurt chips for trail mix. Making a trail mix recipe at home and also with my daughter's class on the 100th Day of School. I wanted to bring yogurt chips.

Very sadly, my Kitchen Aid Ice Cream bowl sprung a leak on its own and is ruined.

Pouting at the park.

Found this J Crew dress for $6.99 and bought it. I love the retro housewife look.

Mixing plaids with stripes. Yes, I have a bright orange purse.

Got the aqua paper straws and retro popcorn bags in the mail for my daughter's retro candy shop theme birthday coming up in April.

Picture I took of my cat today. Her name is Haylee.

Book I am currently reading.

Blood Orange Ricotta cake from Extraordinary Desserts. Went with friends last week, we had a table full of desserts.

I also ordered the Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake.

Created these cookies, Cranberry White Chocolate. They also have cardamom and cinnamon in these as well and they turned out great.

Made homemade Snickers bars thanks to this picture on Pinterest.

These are my homemade Snickers bars.

Went to Staples and got some Martha Stewart office organizational pieces.

Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Attachment Leaking

2012-02-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

So sad to learn that my ice cream attachment is leaking. I found a small puddle of blue liquid in my freezer this week and discovered it is coming from my freezer bowl. I bought this brand new from Craigslist for $40 two years ago and I have used this attachment quite often! I did an internet search and found many people have had the same problem. I am so bummed out because it will cost $80 - $100 to replace this item. I am especially bummed because I have a lot of heavy cream sitting in my fridge that I intended to make ice cream with. Also, my daughter's birthday is coming up in April and I usually make the ice cream for the party and now I am out an ice cream maker.

I contacted Kitchen Aid and we have been playing phone tag, but it is well past the one year warranty and I doubt very much there is anything they can do.

I have been checking out the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, which happens to come in an aqua color. What do you all think....should I re-invest in another Kitchen Aid attachment or explore with a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker?

I Could Really...

2012-02-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

I could really go for one of these this morning! Southern California is actually going to get some rain today. I took the trash out this morning and the air smells gloriously rich with oncoming rain and moisture. The local weather weather the rain will start by 4:00PM but could start anytime before then. We are not talking about large amounts of rain, but anything we can get I will take and appreciate.
The weather changes so little, that sometimes it is nice for a change to mix it up, you know? A Starbucks latte and my book in hand sounds like a great way to celebrate this gloomy day!

What I Wore: Clothing and Hair Styles

2012-02-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

Trying new things I layered a striped shirt under plaid. I recently pinned a guide on how to do this on Pinterest. I also tried out a different hair style the same day, a messy side bun.

Rocking my Minnetonka thunderbird moccasins but even more exciting than that is the jeans I am wearing.

They are a like new and still crisp pair of Joes Jeans I found at Goodwill this week for $29. I am short and it was a bonus that the inseam is just the right size for me. Seriously sweet.

I did another messy bun. Photos aren't the greatest, I think it looks better in person, but whatever.

The back....

Messy side bun.

This day I wore my comfy white v-neck shirt.

I started the day off with lots of volume, left half of my hair down, but I went for a run and ended pinning with rest of it up. It stayed in quite well with all of the pins I had in there.

Thanks to other people's blog and YouTube I am able to learn how to style my hair, seriously. :)

Instant Cookie Bottom Sundae

2012-02-01T21:14:00.000-08:00

I made a smaller version of my Warm Cookie Bottom Sundae a few days ago. I made a batch of regular size cookies but I knew I didn't have any ice cream. Then I had an idea......I bought my daughter some of those Blue Bunny single size ice cream cups.

I removed the ice cream from the cup and onto my warm cookie.

Can't forget all of the toppings! I added homemade whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a cherry on top.

Room Two Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

Last week I was asked to make cookie dough with my daughter's kindergarten class. I made cookie dough with the class a couple of months ago and it was a good experience and of course the children enjoy the mixing process as well as receiving the baked cookies the next day.

This time I wanted to create an original recipe of my own since we xerox copies of the recipe and send it home so the children and parents can make them at home if they chose. Creating a new recipe always starts out the same for me. I keep my laptop on my center island so I turn it around with Microsoft Word on the screen. I begin pouring ingredients into my mixer and as I do so, I type what I use into Word. This way is easy because I can backspace and make changes if I decide to use more of a certain ingredient.

I named the cookies Room Two Chocolate Chip Cookies after my daughter's classroom because I created the recipe with them in mind and at the last minute I decided to add rainbow nonpareil sprinkles because it makes the cookies more fun for the 5 and 6 year olds.

These were the first batch of cookies from the oven.

Room Two Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

½ Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup Brown Sugar

¼ Cup White Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

1 Tablespoon Rainbow Nonpareil Sprinkles

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.) Cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.

3.) Add in egg and vanilla and mix until blended.

4.) Stir in baking soda and salt.

5.) Add flour one cup at a time until well mixed.

6.) Stir in chocolate chips and nonpareil sprinkles

7.) Scoop cookie dough the size of 2 Tablespoons and roll into a ball and place on a dark cookie sheet. Bake cookies 12-15 minutes or until done.

InstaFriday Pictures

2012-01-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

Pacific Ocean. I took this picture as I was a chaperone on my daughter's field trip last week.

Overlooking San Diego.

A sea urchin that one of the kids found in the tide pools.

My daughter holding a baby starfish she found in a tide pools.

Awesome Crate and Barrel vase I scored at daughter's school's rummage sale for $2.

My husband surprised me by ordering this aqua Cuisinart hand blender and stainless milkshake blending cup.

Bought pumpkin cake donuts and made my own maple icing for them.

Gumballs from Party City. These are the colors of my daughter's upcoming 6th Birthday Party in April. It is going to be a retro candy shop theme. I am starting to pick up some things for it here and there.

I bought the red candy stick but got a deal on the blue rock candy because it was marked $5.99 a bag and in another area of the store it was marked incorrectly at $3.99 a bag. I asked and got them at the lower price! Instead of a pinata this year, I am setting up a candy table.

Daughter wearing her Rapunzel wig.

Made an espresso bark with whole Hazelnut Cream coffee beans.

My new glasses.

Decided to roll up my skinny jeans and wear them with heels in a casual way.

Got really nice running gear at Costco. Running jacket is $24.99 and pants are $19.99. They are of very, very nice quality. I need to go back for another jacket.

Created a new cookie recipe from scratch. I am calling these Room Two Chocolate Chip Cookies because I created the recipe so I can make the cookie dough with daughter's class on Monday. Wanted to use an original recipe.

Went out with a friend for dessert.....

.....and coffee. Actually she had tea and I got a Mexican Spiced Mocha. I was so full I couldn't finish either the drink or the cake.

Last night I made a quick and easy mini cookie bottom sundae. I will be sharing this idea very soon.

Bought some great running leggings at Target with my Christmas gift card.

Maple Donut Icing

2012-01-21T22:20:00.000-08:00

While shopping at the commissary this evening, I came across these delicious looking Pumpkin Donuts. They are not glazed and have no icing but I can't resist anything pumpkin...especially when it comes to donuts.

Making icing is easy. This is what I threw together to create my Maple Donut Icing:

~1 Cup Powdered Sugar
~1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
~1Tablespoon 2% Milk
8 drops of Vanilla Butternut oil

Mix it together...

...and dip your donuts in.

Have a piece of wax paper laying on your counter to set the donuts on for an easy clean up.

Finally, enjoy!
This recipe makes enough icing to generously dip 6 cake donuts.

2012-01-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

This is my life in a week through cell phone pictures. I participated in InstaFriday.

Over the weekend I had my hear buried in a Stephen King novel, Under The Dome. Every time I sat down to read, my cat curled up on my book.

Again, a few hours later.

I made a peanut butter chocolate milkshake with fresh whipped cream.

Loving my pet cat but she doesn't want it, notice the paw telling me not to come any closer.

Got my hair cut and the owner got a new dog named Zeus. My daughter is afraid of dogs, even 2 pound dogs, but loved this one and he never left her side the entire time we were there.

Fell in love with the EOS lip balm. I know Sephora carries it but I came across it at Target this week.

Made and baked a foccacia bread recipe from AllRecipes.com It was super easy and very tasty.

Most days my sister in another state and I share our outfit of the day with each other, this is one of those photos. I put a flower in my hair this day.

Bought a new vaccum cleaner from Costco. I made a video based on this on my YouTube Channel. Link to my channel is on the sidebar if you are interested in checking it out!

Love this picture of me and my cat. Her name is Haylee.

Got my AllRecipes.com Allstar Welcome Package. I volunteered to participate in a 12 month program of trying recipes, submitting photos, giving feedback to brands, etc. I did this for the last 6 months and it was fun.

Snacked on Coconut M&M's while waiting to pick my daughter up from school.

Lots of thrifting this week.....went to Goodwill and got this vintage silk top.

Also found this at Goodwill too.

Got these Hudson jeans, new, at a local consignment resale store for $35.

Volunteered at my daughter's school to organize and price goods for the rummage sale this weekend. Found great little girl clothes as they allowed us to shop as we sorted. My biggest deal was these like new Seven for All Mankind jeans for my daughter. I paid $1 for them.

As I type I am sipping on this chocolate malt I made.

Thrift Store Haul

2012-01-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

I love finding bracelets at Goodwill. The gold one is hinged which I love. The other bracelet is gold and cream. $4.99 for both.

This is a vintage 100% silk top, $3.99.

Here I am trying it on. I am trying to go outside my comfort zone for the sake of some style.

I like the sleeves and the cuff. Want to wear bracelets and a long gold necklace with this.

This is an Old Navy medium weight sweater. I always wanted an argyle sweater but never found one with the right fit. This one is perfect for me. $3.99.

This is also some sort of vintage top or vintage style? Love it. $3.99.

Hudson Jeans I got brand new at a resale/consignment store last week for guess how much? ......... $35! That's right. Awesome. Much better than going to Nordstorm and paying $198.

I was inspired by this photo on Pinterest of a girl sporting an aqua blazer. I came across this one, but I knew it would be too big. Unfortunately it was too big, but I will keep searching. I know it looks like it may fit in the photos, but it was too big.

Thanks for checking out my thrift haul!
Check out my style icons:
http://www.kittycotten.com/

http://www.hrhcollection.net/

Electrolux Versatility

2012-01-17T18:40:00.001-08:00

InstaFriday

2012-01-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

I came across this blog which features a linkup called "InstaFriday." InstaFriday is basically your week in cell phone pictures. It looked interesting and I know I take pictures of all sorts of things throughout the week so I thought I would participate. These are a few pictures from the last two weeks.

I created a new recipe, Red Velvet Ice Cream

A couple of days later I decided to make a YouTube video...

...turning it into a pretty milkshake.

Decided to try out my egg slicer since I was cutting strawberries.

Made a delicious baked penne pasta from AllRecipes.com

Two weeks ago we got a new couch. I had hoped to someday find a gray modern and comfy couch.

Took down Christmas decorations. Having a fresh tree and trimmings means it is a messy clean up. My cat decided to guard my bird ornament on the fireplace.

Went to the zoo and watched the meerkats because they are the cutest animal.

Found cherry M&M's at Target and fell in love with them. Also picked up "Santa's" wrapping paper on clearance for next Christmas. $1.50 a roll for the pretty glittery foil paper!

Created this warm brownie bottom sundae.

Took a photo of the chemtrails. I hate chemtrails.....makes me mad. Don't let anyone fool you, major different between a chemtrail and a contrail. If you don't know what it is, look it up.

Found some new and interesting flavors of marshmallows.

Went to Pottery Barn Kids to check out the baskets. We have this shelf and needed some baskets for it. Got the baskets on sale at the store and the pink mini dot liners brand new on eBay.

Think of this table and two chairs as a birthday present for my daughter in April. These are from Pottery Barn Kids.

Bought these tall candle pillars for my kitchen.

Created a new recipe last night. A cinnamon, oat, and milk chocolate chip cookie.

Shiny Silver Kitchen Accessories

2012-01-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by this photo from Veranda Interiors which shows tall shiny silver candle pillars flanking each side of the stove/cooktop. I admired the look for some time and I recently saw something similar at Home Goods but I was bummed out when they only had one candle pillar available.

It has been a few weeks and I resigned myself to starting the search for the perfect candle pillars all over again. I went to Home Goods yesterday and saw they actually got more of the same candle pillars I fell in love with in. I measured the pillars and went home to measure my space to make sure it would work and went back today to pick them up.

I also fell in love with these shiny silver wood like glass vases. The texture is amazing and they are very unique.

As soon as I got home I began to clean the kitchen and wipe down the counter in preparation for my new kitchen accessories.

I think they are just what I needed. They add interest and somehow actually make the stainless, white cabinets, and especially my aqua accessories pop more. I think the shiny silver causes your eyes to bounce from the pillars themselves to the stainless to the shiny bowl and my Kitchen Aid creating movement.

I got them at Home Goods for $19.99 each. It is a little more than what I would normally like to pay, but they are tall and very beautiful. Once in a while I come across something that I can't live without and these were it! What do you think?

I also linked up to Show and Tell Friday!

Red Velvet Ice Cream

2012-01-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine introduced me to Yogurtland last summer which is a very cool self serve frozen yogurt place. They have a variety of awesome flavors such as brownie batter, coconut, passionfruit, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut, oatmeal cookie, etc. I usually get a couple of flavors and one of my staples is red velvet cake batter. Once you serve yourself rhe frozen yogurt there is a wide variety of toppings as well as Ghiradelli chocolate and caramel sauces and then you pay by the ounce. I totally love Yogurtland!

Yogurtland inspiration.

Inspired by the red velvet cake batter frozen yogurt, I decided to make a Red Velvet Ice Cream. This is the recipe I threw together! I hope you enjoy!

Red Velvet Ice Cream

2 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

1 Cup Whole Milk

1 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

4 Eggs or 1 Cup Liquid Eggs

1 1/4 Cup Red Velvet Cake Mix

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1.) On medium heat whisk together heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Watching carefully add in the eggs and stir constantly to ensure eggs mix smoothly in and not cook at the bottom of the pan. (I like to use a whisk and a spatula.)

2.) Whisk in red velvet cake mix. Stir and allow mixture to thicken slightly then remove from heat. Pour into a container and stir in vanilla.

3.) Place in the refrigerator and allow to completely cool.

4.) Transfer to your ice cream maker and make as per directions on your maker.

~MySweetCreations

Thrifty Finds

2012-01-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

I recently stopped by Goodwill and found some great items I thought I would share. I didn't end up purchasing any of these because they were a little too big for me, but check out the awesome stuff you can find! These heathered pants were from The Limited for $4.99 and featured a classic heathered look, a perfect bottom.

I thought this top would be great to try on with the bottoms I found. It is a top by Max Azria from Miley Cyrus for $3.99.

These shorts were also by Max Azria BCBG for $4.99. Great for a slightly dressy look that I would have worn casually or could be worn professionally if you your workplace would allow.

I almost bought this one. This is a Calypso for Target top that was in stores Summer 2011. I absolutely loved this line and purchased many pieces for my daughter and a great tunic for myself when it went on clearance. I would have purchased this one in the store if they still had it. This top still had the tags and it was $5.99 at Goodwill.

I love comfy slightly fitted, slighty not tunic tops for the summer. I decided I was okay and left without it, but I may check to see if it is still there next time I go.

Have you found anything great at thrift stores? Do you often go?

Training for a Half Marathon

2012-01-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

Yep......so here I am putting it out there. I am running the San Diego Half Marathon with my husband on March 11th, 2012. I started to run around Christmas before talk about signing up for a race. I think something shifted in my psyche and I decided that I need to run. My husband ran the Rock N' Roll Marathon in 2011 with an impressive finish time. He has always been a great runner and when I began to run during the Christmas break he mentioned the half marathon. I think the idea of one is great but it is one thing to fantasize about the idea of doing one someday and actually committing yourself to one.

This will be no small feat for me. Although I appear to be in shape I am not. I grew up working hard and stayed on the move until I had our daughter nearly 6 years ago. I was exercising up until the week I gave birth. Once she came along life changed and I was tired all the time and had someone else to take care.

I am ready to make some changes. I have been thinking about how to make this a successful run. Successful to me means finishing the run and not being one of the last to cross the line. At this point I have been running a few couples of weeks. Reflecting on my crazy decision to do this I figured this out:

1.) You have to decide you want to do this.

2.) You have to sign up and commit yourself to it.

3.) Best recipe for success is to tell everyone what you are doing. When you are at your worst and thinking of giving up or unsure if you are able to make it you will remember all of the people you told. (This worked well for me when I decided to have a natural childbirth.)

4.) Staying positive and keeping your eye on the prize. It also helps to think about how you will feel once you accomplished your goal.

Believe me when I tell you that I am no runner......at least I wasn't until a couple of weeks ago. The physical aspect is very important but the mental aspect is just as important, if not more. Commitment and determination will pull me through at my weakest moments.

Wish me luck as I continue to try to build myself in preparation for March 11th, 2012.

***I am also on Pinterest...just created a "Running" board.***
http://pinterest.com/bakingbymsc/

New Goals for a New Year

2012-01-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

I am not one for New Year's Resolutions. It seems they are always made to be broken and usually resolve around quitting something or get more exercise. Mine goal for each year is to mail birthday cards and presents on time. I have been making some personal changes over the past year and I am ready to take some of them to the next level.

#1) I am running already running! It has been nearly two weeks and I have already worked myself up to 3 miles. I should also mention that my husband encouraged me to set some goals and signed us up to run the San Diego Half Marathon on March 11th. I am pushing 30 later this year and I don't want to look back on life and wish I would have done things so I took the plunge and committed myself to the half marathon.

#2) Read more books. I have been reading quite a bit, actually, but I want to continue to read a lot. I have thrown in some other books that I don't normally read, recently. I am currently reading the book pictured above which has over 1,000 pages.

#3) Add more color and style to my wardrobe. I am trying to be more creative and stylish. Now that my daughter is in Kindergarten, I get up each day and put on real clothes instead of black yoga pants and a plain top. It's now or never.

Do you have any goals that you plan to stick with in 2012?

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-01-01T17:51:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I like to participate in "What I Wore Wednesday" which is hosted by The Pleated Poppy. You have to opportunity to link up and share photos of outfits you wore or you can explore others blogs by seeing what they wore. I found WIWW when it first began and it helped to inspire me to wear different things and get out of the rut I was in. Here are some photos I took of outfits I wore in the past two weeks! I also linked up with Momma Go Around.

Gap top, Joes Jeans, bracelets from Target and Goodwill.

Old Navy purple cardigan, Target black tank, Seven for all Mankind Jeans.

Target gray tank, Ann Taylor Loft black cardigan, Seven for all Mankind Jeans, and necklace from thrift store.

Leopard top by Express, Seven for all Mankind "A" Pocket Jeans, bracelets from Target and Lia Sophia.

Starting the Day With A Chai Latte

2011-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Although our weather foreceast has been in the high 60's - 70's this week it is still chilly overnight and in the morning. I decided to start my Saturday with a warm Chai Latte at home.

All you need is:
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Chai Concentrate (Stabucks uses Tazo)
Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for the top.

I use pour the milk and chai concentrate in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 1:00 - 1:30 minutes.

I use my Aerolatte to froth the mixture after I warm it up. You can get these for $19.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. With the coupons they always send in the mail, you can get one cheaper and I was initially surprised how often I actually use it. Great for mixing hot chocolate, drinking chocolate or any assortment of homemade lattes or coffees. We also use it to froth milk, which makes my 5.5 year old happy. :)

I keep a bowl of homemade whipped cream in my fridge at all times. I add a packet of whipped cream stablizer to it while making it so it doesn't break down. Add some whipped cream on top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. You are done in less than 3 minutes!

Out With The Old & In With The New

2011-12-29T15:34:00.000-08:00

I went to Costco on a whim today and did not expect to find my dream couch. We were actually in the market for a couch but as I casually looked around nothing was in the color, modern style with comfort, or fabric that I liked. I figured we would come across something eventually and today was the day. We are going to get it tomorrow morning.

This is a close up of the fabric. I like that it is a normal fabric and not microfiber or mircosuede....I am so over those fabrics. Our current couch is microsuede and even a drop of water leaves a mark and to remove it requires that I clean or wipe down the couch.

This is me sitting in the corner, pretty cushy.

My munchkin having fun trying it out got a serious case of static hair.

Love, love, love the modern style, yet it is comfortable, and especially the color! I secretly wanted to switch to gray from brown so it seems like this was meant to be.

This is an older photo of my living room with our current couch and ottoman. I have them listed on Craigslist and hope to get them out as soon as possible. My current couch has been well loved. It looks pretty good in this photo but one of the boards along the back gave away and it sags and my cat decided to scratch it for the past year. Not very happy about that, but finally found a scratching post she loves and hasn't touched any furniture since.

I still like our current ottoman, but the new set comes with one.

I am looking forward to redecorating to accomodate the new gray tones into my living room. That means I will likely need to switch out my rug and other things with time.

Aqua Addiction

2011-12-28T18:36:00.000-08:00

My aqua addiction continues as I scour Home Goods and TJ Maxx for new additions for my kitchen. I have been quit lucky the past couple of months as those two stores have seemingly been flooded with aqua Kitchen Aid items that I had a hard time finding for so long. At this point that only pieces I am missing are:

1.) Slotted Turner

2.) Smooth Turner

3.) Colander

Some items I bought multiples.

2- Prep Whisks

4- Rubber Spatulas

2- Sets of Mixing Bowls

4- Sets of Measuring Spoons

4- Sets of Measuring Cups

There were many items that I never knew existed and I literally gasped when I saw them in the store. I never knew about the kitchen shears, box grater, can opener, egg/mushroom slicer, and mixing bowls.

Are you all partial to a certain color in your kitchen? Do you get tired of certain colors and change them or do you play it safe and stick with neutrals?

Home Goods Happy

2011-12-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

I have been Home Goods happy since they opened one down the road from me a few months ago. Loving the unique and decent priced home goods. I often take pictures of things I like for inspiration or things I wish I could buy. I really wanted this tall shiny candle holder but they only had ONE! I need two of them so I had to pass it up for now. I wanted to put them on either side of my stove in the kitchen.

I don't need a chair, but I came across this gorgeous dark gray one. Love the color and style of it!

Had a hard time passing this up. They actually had two of these small stools. It is my kitchen color, aqua, and would make a great stool for my daughter.

I am still seriously thinking about this mirror. I am actively looking for a mirror and some sort of thin table or ottoman for our entryway. The size of this mirror is perfect. I would turn it vertical for my purposes and I think a thin white table would look good underneath it.

Love, love, love this mirror. It is rather large but one of those types you prop in the corner. I would love to have this for my bedroom or closet. I recently bought similar mirrors from Home Goods on a smaller scale to hand behind each of my master bedroom nightstands. Thank you Pinterest for the inspiration! :)

I have been having a hay-day finding Kitchen Aid aqua utensils and other kitchen items at Home Goods and TJ Maxx for the past two months. I found most aqua pieces that exist...just need to find a turner and slotted turner that I know of. I picked up this potato masher tonight.

I got these last month, several prep whisks, measuring spoons, basting spoon, rubber spatulas, etc...

I almost got this a couple of months ago for my entry. As much as I loved this piece, I am glad I waited. There are a lot of options.

I am happy to say that I own this beauty. I could not pass it up! My living room is accented with this exact teal color. I love the comfy yet modern design of this piece.

Another Kitchen Aid aqua kitchen item I found recently.

I am very Home Goods happy.

Retro Kitchen

2011-12-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

Wish I had a kitchen like this! My daughter's American Girl Doll is very lucky! This is actually the matching pink retro doll kitchen from Pottery Barn Kids. They no longer make this, but I found it during the middle of summer for $11 - $15 for each piece which was a steep markdown from the original price. We also picked up the vanity for $18 which is normally $60! If you are looking for awesome Pottery Barn doll furniture I encourage you to look during the spring and summer and tuck it away. They usually have a large overstock of doll furniture from Christmas and it gets marked down by spring and summer. This set is American Girl Doll sized.

Bath & Body Works Home Scents Haul and Storage

2011-12-23T17:14:00.001-08:00

Puppy Chow?!?

2011-12-21T20:33:00.000-08:00

A friend came over a few days ago with a bag of Puppy Chow for me. She made it and gave me the recipe...I never tasted anything like it and it was amazing. I decided to check AllRecipes.com to see if they have Puppy Chow recipes and surely enough there were three. I made this recipe!
1.) First you melt your milk chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter together.

2.) Once melted you can add in your cereal. I used a 12 ounce box of Crispix. Make sure you coat the cereal in the chocolate mixture.

3.) Pour half of the powdered sugar into the bottom of the paper bag. I poured the chocolate coated cereal into the bag and then poured the remaining powdered sugar on top. 4.) Shake the bag well to ensure all pieces are coated and not sticking together.

5.) Enjoy this delicious snack!

Baked Cookies Today

2011-12-20T13:00:00.000-08:00

I baked some cookies today. These are the "No Roll Sugar Cookies" from the Betty Crocker cookbook. They are topped with the "Butter Icing For Cookies" recipe from AllRecipes.com

These cookies are a personal recipe that I created about a year ago. It is more like a sugar cookie base with M&M's. I called them my "Fluffy Vanilla M&M Cookies."

Christmas Decor

2011-12-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I have been more busy that I anticipated since my daughter started school back in September. Each year our family tradition has been a trip to The Christmas Tree Farm in the East County of San Diego. We opt to get our fresh tree and trimmings each year on the day after Thanksgiving and avoid the busy retails areas. There is a small aircraft airport on the other side of the tree farm so every minute or two small privately piloted aircraft fly overhead as they approach the runway to land. On this particular day while the rest of the country was cold, we wore tees and tanks to pick up our Christmas Tree.

Fall leaves I captured from a tree in the parking lot.

We got our tree home and promptly began to set it up for decorations. We also purchased a 10 foot fresh sway to drape over the fireplace. I misplaced my photo of that but if I find it I will update this and add it in.

Close up of the tree. :)

Each year a street in my community in San Diego goes crazy with Christmas Lights. Here are some photos from our trip through their street.

These guys actually board up their windows in their home and made room to add displays. You walk up to their front doors, driveways, and through their side yards. The displays are amazing!

This is my favorite home. I love the extreme use of lights in the trees.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Who Loves Yogurtland?

2011-11-24T21:31:00.000-08:00

There are many self serve frozen yogurt varieties in my area but Yogurtland takes the cake. Love this place. My favorite is mixing Brownie Batter, Pumpkin, and Red Velvet together and pumpkin some Ghiradelli Chocolate Sauce on top.

Who else loves Yogurtland?

Pumpkin Eggnog Latte

2011-11-13T19:38:00.000-08:00

AllRecipes.com has a recipe for an Eggnog Latte. I changed it up a bit and used Pumpkin Eggnog. I also added some freshly whipped up whipped cream on top....that is a requirement for me!

Pumpkin Eggnog Latte

~1/3 Cup Brewed Espresso

~2/3 Cup Pumpkin Eggnog

~1/3 Cup Whole Milk

1.) Brew espresso and set aside.

2.) Warm milk and eggnog together either on the stove or in the microwave.

3.) Pour espresso into eggnog/milk and froth together use a milk frother (Aerolatte.)

4.) Pour into a mug, top with fresh whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg and enjoy!

~MSC

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

I decided to link up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday. I found The Pleated Poppy when she first began WIWW. It helped me to think about what I was wearing and helped me to try out new styles after seeing what others. I haven't participated in WIWW in ages so here are a few outfits from this week.

#1
Victorias Secret PINK Marled Raglan Top, Neon Yellow
Joes Jeans
Aqua Necklace from a garage sale

I matched my necklace to the aqua colored rhinestones in my sandals.

#2
Victorias Secret PINK Marled Raglan Top, Purple
Citizens of Humanity Jeans
Victorias Secret PINK Bracelet

Victorias Secret PINK Bracelet, found at Goodwill for $0.99!

#3
Gap Striped Top, Navy Blue & White
Ann Taylor Loft Trouser Jeans
Gymboree Scarf.....yes, Gymboree! Got it for $1.99!

A better look at the patterns.

Hairstyle. I am loving my bangs.

Paired this outfit with my pink cupcake earrings for fun. (I love to bake.)

Ring is from Target.

~MSC

Follow me on Twitter @BakingByMSC

Baking with Leftover Halloween Candy

2011-11-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

Use your Reese's Cups to make a Reese's Peanut Butter Sundae. Layer vanilla or peanut butter ice cream with slightly melted peanut butter, chocolate, and chopped Reese's Cups.

Melt Hershey's milk chocolate bars and dip plastic spoons into the melted chocolate. These make great gifts for the holidays or you can keep them on hand for yourself. Use to stir your favorite coffee, hot chocolate, or latte at home.

Make a Peanut Butter Pie with your Reese's Cups.
Want the recipe? Here is the link:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mysweetcreations-peanut-butter-cookie-pie/detail.aspx

Got M&M's? You can make some chocolate chip cookies and gently press your leftover M&M's into the tops just before baking. Take it is step further and whip up some buttercream to make cookie sandwiches.

Use Milky Way candy bars to make a Milky Way Icing. My favorite way to eat this is to pair it with cookie dough cupcakes. Here is the recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/milky-way-cupcake-icing/detail.aspx

Use Twix to make this Espresso Twix Dessert. Want the recipe? Here is the link:
http://tastingmysweetcreations.blogspot.com/2011/07/espresso-twix.html

Lattes, Smoothies, and Milkshakes

2011-11-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

For the past month or so I have been lacking an appetite so I haven't done much baking. I have all the ingredients to make almost anything I want, but the desire to eat it just isn't there. Instead of baking, I have been enjoying lattes, smoothies, and shakes instead. Most of the time they are homemade, but not always. Here are some of my favorites...

Mocha Hazelnut Latte from Chi Chocolat, a local San Diego place in my neighborhood. Hands down this place has the best tasting lattes. The spices and the chocolate are very rich and flavorful that nothing else compares. You can see the richness in the photo above.

This is my first Gingerbread Latte of the season from Starbucks. I just got this a couple of days ago. I am a huge fan of Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Lattes from Starbucks.

Okay.....wow! A new place called Slater's 50/50 opened in my area and it is a burger place. They do make all kinds of crazy milkshakes which include Maple Bacon. I decided to stray from my usual chocolate milkshakes and got this Pumpkin Spice Milkshake. It was amazing...so amazing that I will walk there just to get one of these to go. The mix of ice cream, pumpkin and spices was a perfect blend. It was also very smooth and creamy.

This is a homemade Eggnog Latte. I used the recipe from AllRecipes.com
I subbed regular eggnog for Pumpkin Eggnog. It really tastes similar to the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks but just a little creamier.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggnog-latte/detail.aspx

This is the Pumpkin Eggnog I picked up. The label of "made with Real Pumpkin" cracked me up. I would hope it is made with real pumpkin and not fake pumpkin. Isn't it sad that there are labels like this on our products these days?

This delicious latte is called the Milky Way Caramel Latte. It is from a local San Diego coffee house. They also make a great Mexican Spiced Mocha as well.

My main smoothie has been my Orange C Boost Smoothie.
http://allrecipes.com/personalrecipe/62936281/orange-c-boost-smoothie/detail.aspx
This has a great orange taste that reminds me of an orange Starburst. It is also great to have the extra vitamn C for an immune system boost this time of the year. I have been going through cans of Minute Maid orange concentrate like crazy!

There are many more that I have made or tasted so there may be a part 2 to this post.

~MSC

Thrift Store Finds

2011-11-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

I hope you guys don't mind me sharing some of my thrift store finds! I really enjoy going to Goodwill in my area because it is loaded with a lot of higher end clothing items. Here are some things that I found this past month for myself...

Hudson Jeans. These are actually the Collin Signature Skinny Jean that retails for $176 or even more if you get them at Nordstorms. I got these like brand new at Goodwill for $29.99
http://www.hudsonjeans.com/store/productdetails.aspx?productid=1068

Banana Republic Suit. I don't have a suit, but this was meant to be mine. The jacket and the pants are my exact size and it was like it was tailored just for me. It is a soft wool and completely lined inside. It is a classic heather gray. The pants are a modern creased slightly wide leg. I got this at Goodwill for $29.99.

Body by Victoria Secret Jacket. This is like a suit jacket and again, it fits me perfectly. I like to wear these with a white or plain colored t-shirt casually. I like to roll up the sleeve and add several bracelets to dress it down with jeans. Great casual hidden pockets in the sides. I got this at Goodwill for $2.99.

Do you guys like shopping at thrift stores? Do you have any luck finding great items?

~MSC

Halloween Carnival

2011-10-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

We went to my daughter's elementary school Halloween Carnival this weekend. It was a great way to kick off all of the Halloween festivites.

Here are some of the decorations...it is a large carnival and there is no way to capture how elaborate and well done this carnival is. You would really have to see it in person.

Entrance in to the Haunted House below...

My daughter and I worked the Lollipop Guess booth for 30 minutes during the carnival. The decorations below were made by one of the moms in my daughter's class and she did an amazing job creating the black house and cutting it out!

My daughter and I working the Lollipop Guess booth. This is one of those rare pictures of her and I together. As moms, you know that we are always behind the camera and rarely in front of it.

My daughter entered in a cake decorating contest and decorated this cake. Not bad for a kindergartener.

I made some Cake Pops to donate for the bake sale at the Halloween Carnival. I al glad I got started early as it was time consuming. I made vanilla and red velvet.

I bought some of my Cake Pops at the bake sale. There were lots of sweets to chose from.

Last but certainly not least I snapped this picture of the sunset. You can see the Pacific Ocean which was gorgeous on this particular night.

You can follow me on twitter @BakingByMSC

~MSC

Kitchen Organization & Help Me Decide ....

2011-10-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

I am currently spending my morning deep cleaning my kitchen. It started with a simple reorganization of my pantry and then quickly turned into a much needed reorganization of all cabinet spaces. I set aside this deep gray colored magnetic board in my pantry. I have been carrying it around trying to decide what I want to do with it. I agonize over where to hang things on the walls. Help me decide what to do!

Here is that magnetic board hanging on the kitchen wall. My plan is that wherever it hangs, I want to print out some nice black and white photos (just a couple pictures) and use some cool vibrant colored magnets to hang them casually. The second photo is of a framed white and white picture that currently hangs on the wall. So tell me......which do you like better?

#1 ...

... or #2 below.

Below is my pantry after reorganizing. Some of my white dishes were getting scrunched around and I reserved the entire bottom shelf for all of my white dishes. The shelf extend further back than the picture shows. The second shelf from the bottom holds three different sets of mixing bowls to the left and the right is all of my daughter's snacks and bars she takes to school. The third shelf from the bottom contains pasta, sauces, bread, peanut butter, and chips that are neatly tucked away in a blue canvas bin which is hiding to the right and can't be seen in the photo. The next shelf going up has cereal, dinner foods, etc. The very top shelf has a blue crate that hold my springform pans and other cake pans that I use often. I also have my secondary green apple mixer, a juicer and hiding to the left is my Cupcake Courier.

While cleaning, I was admiring these simple storage containers I picked up at Target about a year ago. When I get home I remove all snack bars and fruit leather from their boxes and put them into these containers to keep the pantry neat and it also allows us to see what we have.

I rearranged the large cabinet above my fridge. It works great for storing large items that I don't use often like the Crock Pot, Coffee Maker, Drink Container for parties, etc. I had a couple of these things on the top shelf of my pantry, but I wanted to tuck them away to make more space, so after reorganizing this space I was able to fit everything in.

Please tell me which wall hanging you prefer from the first two photographs!

~MSC

Magical Erasers

2011-10-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

I am convinced Mr. Clean put some real magic in these cleaning erasers. They are such a blessing I don't know what I would do without these. Great for touch ups on the walls but today I discovered how great they are for my white cabinets! I tried them out a few weeks ago in my bathroom. With white cabinets and the use of hairspray and other sprays for my hair I noticed a stubborn build-up of product that was impossible to clean. The magic erasers took care of the problem instantly. I don't know why I didn't think to use it elsewhere in the house besides the walls before!

I recently saw a commercial advertising the newer and stronger magic erasers for the bathroom. I saw them at the commissary and picked them up. I started today by cleaning out the microwave and then I usually move onto the cabinets when I notice that very sticky build up above the stove and microwave. In the past I was never able to fully clean the top side of the cabinets like I wanted. I broke out my magic erasers for the bath (which I recommend because they are strong and don't crumble) and went to town on my cabinets and they are as clean and good as new!

Do you use magic erasers? Any tips for using them or have you found any good uses for them?

~MSC

Tips for Making a Cookie Pizza

2011-10-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have been eyeing this cookie pizza recipe lately and finally decided to make it.

I scaled the recipe down to half and began whipping up the cookie batter. I love that this is a peanut butter cookie pizza. I added some milk chocolate chips to the batter although the recipe did not call for that. I really can't resist peanut butter and milk chocolate together.

Using a baking sheet that I sprayed with baking non-stick spray, I formed the cookie dough into a ball and began pressing it out to form my pizza shape.

** Tip # 1: To get a cookie pizza that bakes properly without leaving crunchy thin sides and a gooey underbaked middle, you need to flatten your dough to the thickness of a chocolate chip. Since there are chocolate chips in the cookie dough you can press down until you feel the chocolate chips hit the bottom. (I hope that makes sense.) This ensures that your cookie will bake evenly especially in the middle.

** Tip #2: For outer edges of the cookie pizza, if you leave the edge even with the rest of the cookie, you batter will expand in the oven and therefore give you brown, thin, and crunchy edges. To prevent this (in the photo below) you can see I add extra batter to the edges.

You can see in these photo that the extra dough expanded while baking and in the end made an edge that was even with the rest of the cookie!

I hope these tips help!

~MSC

Delicious Fudge

2011-10-03T20:31:00.000-07:00

After seeing this photo I was inspired to make fudge for the first time. When I think about fudge, I think about chocolate. I usually prefer a more interesting fudge rather than just chocolate. I wish I could say the idea of using cupcake and candy papers was mine, but from the photo in the link above you can see where I got the idea and it is a fabulous one!

I used both full size cupcake papers and small candy papers (full Reeses Cups size) and they both worked well. I was unsure if the fudge would stick to the paper so I sprayed most of them with a non-stick baking spray. I couldn't tell which pieces were sprayed from the ones that were not as the papers peeled off with ease. Whew....I was really worried about the sticking!

Want the link for the recipe? It is called the Boardwalk Quality Maple Walnut Fudge which is on AllRecipes.com. Click here for the recipe. I made one minor change by using vanilla butternut as my flavoring of choice in place of the maple extract.

~MSC

Fresh Pasta for Dinner Tonight!

2011-09-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished making this pasta. The recipe is the Eggless Pasta on AllRecipes.com This recipe requires semolina flour which I ran out to buy this morning. The recipe as written was quite dry so I had to add 4 Tablespoons of olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of water to get the correct consistency.

I also added 4 teaspoons of chopped basil to the dough as it was kneading. Trader Joes makes cubes of frozen basil and other herbs that are ready to add to your recipes. I never used them before, but picked them up recently and they worked perfectly with the pasta.

~MSC

Brown Sugar - Caramel Latte

2011-09-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I found this Brown Sugar - Caramel Latte recipe on AllRecipes a few days ago. I am always up for trying new homemade lattes so I gave this a try and it was delicious. I actually love that it has more coffee than milk for a change. I used three shots of espresso in place of regular coffee.....maybe that is why I loved it so much! With no flavoring syrup in this recipe, the caramel and brown sugar makes up for it perfectly.

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Brown Sugar - Caramel Latte

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon caramel ice cream topping

3 shots of espresso (3/4 cup)

Stir brown sugar into milk until dissolved. Whip with a milk frother or small whisk. Pour coffee into a mug, and stir in caramel sauce until dissolved. Pour frothed milk into espresso and serve.

~MSC

Pumpkin Pie Shake

2011-09-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe while browsing milkshake recipes on AllRecipes.com

This poor recipe lacked a photo. I love giving recipes a face so I saved this recipe in my box.

As I was cleaning out my fridge, I found a can of opened pumpkin and evaporated milk. I also knew I had about two scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Perfect. Pumpkin Pie Shake it is!

This "shake" was a tad on the liquidy side so I am not so sure it qualifies as a shake, but it was fairly tasty to me. I added some extra cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom into the blender. I served this to myself with a dollop of whipped cream on top. This recipe isn't for everyone, you must like pumpkin.

Speaking of ice cream, I found this gorgeous aqua blue Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Scoop at Target! Anyone who knows me knows about my love of aqua blue in the kitchen. I got this on sale for $7.85. I came home and got on eBay to see if there were other aqua blue Kitchen Aid utensils that I didn't know about. They also have a potato masher, whisk, and spatula in aqua blue according to what is listed on eBay. Now I am on the lookout at my local Target stores to find the others.

~MSC

Rocky Road

2011-09-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Using this recipe from AllRecipes.com, I made some Rocky Road this morning. I decided to cut the recipe in half....I just needed a taste of this, not a large pan of it to eat. I made a few minor changes such as using milk chocolate. I also had to chop up my jumbo marshmallows into a mini marshmallow size.

Rocky Road

1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 1/2 Cups Mini Marshmallows

Halloween Sprinkles

Spray a small pan (I used a glass pie pan) with a baking non-stick spray and set aside. In a saucepan on low heat, mix together milk chocolate chips and peanut butter until melted. Remove from heat and fold in marshmallows. Pour into greased pan and refrigerate until set and ready to serve. (Optional: Add some sprinkles to the top!)

~MSC

Delicious Candy Apple Salad

2011-09-13T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is a video I made of myself making my Delicious Candy Apple Salad. The dessert consists of homemade whipped cream, green apples, Milky Way candy bars, and caramel sauce. Here is the recipe.

Pumpkin Love

2011-09-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

I finally tasted my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season from Starbucks this morning. It was just as tasty as I remembered it to be. Actually, it was my second... The first one I had didn't qualify in my opinion. I stopped at Peet's Coffee and Tea last week when I was early for my daughter's school orientation and got a Pumpkin Spice Latte there. It tasted more like a Vanilla Latte and a mild one at that. I detected no pumpkin flavor at all, therefore, it doesn't qualify as a real Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Anyone else a Pumpkin Spice Latte fan? Have you had a Pumpkin Spice Latte yet? Do you prefer Starbucks or one from another place?

~MSC

Caramel Apples 2.0

2011-09-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

I got more caramel apples for you. I am on a mission this year to be more creative and try out different caramel apple toppings.

I did make another caramel apple with white chocolate and cinnamon. It is an interesting flavor combination....kinda tastes like an oatmeal cookie. Weird, huh?

Then I decided to break out my Snickers Bars. I allowed the caramel to set in the refrigerator first. The caramel is still soft and tacky enough that I was able to press the chopped Snickers into the caramel. I drizzled with milk chocolate.

*Tip: Try using a small zip-loc bag such as the sandwich or snack size to pipe your chocolate onto the apple. It makes for an easier clean-up when you are done. *

~MSC

Caramel Apple Season

2011-09-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Besides Starbuck's seasonal Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread Lattes I also look forward to fall for the Caramel Apples. Thus far I have made a total of 3 Caramel Apples this season and it is only September 4th.

My favorite kind to make is Caramel dipped completely into Milk Chocolate and drizzled with White Chocolate/Peanut butter, but I am trying new combinations this year.

~Caramel with White Chocolate and Cinnamon

~Caramel with Candy Coated Chocolate Chips

~Caramel with Chocolate, Marshmallows, and Milk Chocolate Chips

Previous years I also used Kraft or Brach's Caramels but I always hoped to find a good homemade recipe that I could use instead. I searched but most people would complain the homemade caramel recipes were too thin and it wouldn't properly cover the apple. I came across this Toffee Sauce recipe the other day and decided to whip it up and use it as an ice cream topping. I found that the consistency of the recipe was like a soft caramel. If I had poured into into a buttered pan instead of a bowl that is exactly what I would have had! That is when I decided this is the perfect recipe for dipping apples. Simply re-heat the sauce in the mircowave and dip your apples!

Tip #1: Make sure you allow the caramel to cool or set up a bit before adding heavy toppings as you can see from the photo above. I added a layer of white chocolate that was far too heavy for the warm caramel to handle.

Tip #2: Line a baking sheet with wax paper and do not forget to spray or butter your wax paper. If you fail to do this, the caramel will adhere to the wax paper and create a sticky mess.

Enjoy!

~MSC

Smoo-zees

2011-08-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

My daughter calls them smoo-zees, but I have been hooked on smoothies lately. There are a few things that I like about them.

1.) Makes a great breakfast, lunch, or snack.

2.) They are filling.

3.) I make a few servings and they keep in the refrigerator well for a couple of days.

4.) Quicky and easy.

5.) I don't eat much fruit, but I love almost any fruit in a smoothie. A great way to get your daily servings of fruit.

Here are some smoothie recipes from AllRecipes.com that I have been enjoying:

Nobody's Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

California Smoothie

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

2011-08-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of this recipe for a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie on AllRecipes.com

I have made this countless times in the past few years and this is the lastest one I made back In June for my sister's graduation party.

I start using a cheap Chefmate pan from Target that sells for less than $4. It is 15 inches across in size and I bought this pan solely for giant chocolate chip cookie making. After greasing your pan, add cookie dough to your pan. In the photo above, I am showing you how I use a cookie scoop to arrange the dough around the pan to make spreading it out easier.

One tip I would like to share with you all is when making a giant cookie, leave 2-3 inches of room around the sides for expansion. If you fail to leave enough room, your cookie will run over the sides as it baked and make a burnt mess in the bottom of your oven.

To ensure the side don't become crispy or brown as the dough expands, I add extra dough around the sides before baking so there is more dough to move outward thus eliminating a crispy sides.

Make it into an M&M giant chocolate chip cookie by arranging M&M's around the cookie dough before baking.

Baked to a beautiful golden color.

Many people wonder how to make a "mall cookie" at home. I figured out the best way to achieve the mall cookie taste is to frost your cookie using 1.) Homemade Buttercream & 2.) Store-bought chocolate frosting such as Duncan Hines Rich Chocolate. You do not want the whipped versions of store-bought icing.

Once the cookie has cooled, pipe icing onto the cookie to decorate! I have taken these to a variety of parties and both kids and adults alike gobble this down right away. For some reason no one can resist these giant cookies!

Enjoy!

~MSC

Chocolate Sauce

2011-08-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

I got all of my housework done today and I thought I would make something sweet.

Once cooled and refrigerated, it can be used in desserts as a fudge layer or simply as a topping on ice cream.

Chocolate Sauce

1 Cup Evaporated Milk

2/3 Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Teaspoon Corn Starch

1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

1.) On medium heat, pour evaporated milk into a saucepan and whisk in powdered sugar and corn starch.

2.) Add dark chocolate chips ½ cup at a time until melted and sauce becomes smooth. Continue to whisk until very smooth and slightly thickened.

3.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Transfer to a bowl and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for up to two weeks.

~MSC

Avalanche on a Stick

2011-08-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

Strolling along the shops on Coronado the other day, we treated ourselves to this Avalanche on a Stick delight from a chocolate store I spotted. It was the variety of gourmet candy apples that initially pulled me in, but I left with this treat instead. You may be wondering, "What is Avalanche on a Stick?"

Well....it is simple actually. It is a marshmallow that is dipped into caramel, rolled into rice crispies, and drizzled with milk chocolate and white chocolate melted with peanut butter.

Save yourself the money and make one at home. It is very easy and I made these several times in the last few days. Here are most of the ingredients you need....including caramel which is not pictured. I will break down what I did for you.

1.) I skewered 3 full size marshmallows on a Wilton cookie stick.

2.) I whipped up homemade caramel sauce and dipped the skewered marshmallows into it. You can melt Kraft caramels as per directions on the package if you prefer.

3.) Roll into crispies. The treat I purchased was rolled into Rice Krispie cereal. At home, I have the crispies that are used in Nestle Crunch candy bars, so I used those instead. Either type of crispie works.

4.) Melt milk or dark chocolate in the microwave. Pipe over the caramel and crispie layer. I used a snack size Ziploc bag and snipped the corner off for this step.

5.) Melt white chocolate. Mix creamy peanut butter into melted white chocolate until smooth. I also used a snack size Ziploc bag and snipped the corner to pipe onto the treat.

Refrigerate until set and enjoy! You can easily adjust the amounts to make one as a treat for yourself or enough to take to a party.

~MSC

Homemade Pizza Making

2011-08-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since the last time I attempted making a homemade pizza. Probably nearly two years ago...you see, I gave up on it. Everytime I made homemade pizza dough it was dense and it would never bake right...always too thickand doughy. I have expanded my baking abilities a lot in the past two years and I have even began baking all sorts of bread with success.

That meant it was time to try making homemade pizza dough again. I actually decided to give it a try again when at Costco I saw a huge bag of Sorrento Ultimate Pizza Shredded Cheese blend. With Mozzarella, Aged Bel Paese, Asiago, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan I couldn't resist the bag. I bought the bag and went home to get started on making pizza dough.

I used the Valentino's Pizza Crust from AllRecipes.com. I split the dough in half and once done, I rolled it out to fit my 12 inch pizza pan. The photos below are of pizza #1. Pretty good, but I know I could improve it the second time. It need to be more brown and crispy.

Pizza #1

I researched the internet on how to make a homemade crispy pizza. I found that it is better to refrigerate your dough 24 hours before using it. Poking holes in the dough helps it to bake as well as pre-baking the the crust only for 7 minutes before adding the sauce and toppings. Here is my dough, holes poked into it, ready to go into the oven.

This is the result! Besides rolling my dough a little thinner the second time, the other steps I took helped me get the pizza of my dreams!

For the sauce, I made my own Hearty Pizza Sauce. The recipe is enough to (2) 12 inch pizzas. I also split the Valetntino's Pizza Crust recipe into (2) 12 inch pizzas as well. I feel on top of the world now that I accomplished making a good homemade pizza!

~MSC

Warm Cookie Bottom Sundae

2011-08-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. Goodness. This was my dinner tonight. Inspired by the Cookie Bottom Sundae from Ghiradelli's. I was up late a couple of evenings ago and whipped up some chocolate chip cookie batter using this recipe.

Want to make this?

1.) The first thing you need to do is make the chocolate chip cookie recipe. Keep in mind these are jumbo cookies, like the size of a CD. To make a jumbo cookie, you need to preheat your oven to 350. Using your measuring cups, scoop 1/2 Cup of cookie dough and roll into a slightly flattened ball. Bake the cookies for 17 minutes until golden in color. Remove from oven and allow to mostly cool.

2.) Plate your cookie and scoop vanilla ice cream onto the middle of the cookie. I made homemade vanilla ice cream but you can use store bought just as well.

3.) Whip up fresh whipped cream to add on top of the ice cream. I made homemade whipped cream with:

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Packet Whipped Cream Stabilizer

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

4.) Sauces. Do not forget the sauces. I had some leftover homemade caramel sauce in the fridge that I used with Smucker's chocolate ice cream topping. I also added some color with the candy coated chocolate chips. When making a sundae, it isn't right unless you add a cherry....or two....or three!

There you have it! A Warm Cookie Bottom Sundae! I am trying to formulate a recipe that will make 4 jumbo warm cookie bottom sundaes. My daughter and I shared this sweet treat tonight and I absolutely licked the plate clean after I took this picture.

~MSC

Thrift Haul

2011-08-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

I went to the thrift store last night and found a few good things. I originally posted this quickly to share with my sister and intended to delete it, but I thought I would leave it up for everyone else. I tend to have good luck at the thrift stores and this is just one haul or quick trip to the store.

Above is a Gymboree dress, thrifted for $2.99.

Above is a Baby Gap winter white sweater tunic or dress. $2.99.

Below is a Baby Gap tunic/dress from the Chelsea Collection thrifted for $1.99.

Below is a Victorias Secret pink thermal hoodie, found for $5.99. Like brand new.

Gap navy blue and white stripe long sleeve tee. Got this for $3.99.

Express Premium Deluxe Jeans, snagged these for $7.99. I need to get them hemmed up on the bottom since I am short.

My cat, Haylee, looking around this morning.

Back To School: Best Lunch Box and Containers

2011-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

~MSC

Starbucks Gossip

2011-08-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting website that I browse through once in a great while called Starbucks Gossip. When I noticed changes in my beloved chai latte I went to the website and found that more water was being used than milk to save money. Whether that is true or not, I do not know. What I do know is I rarely order Chai Tea Lattes and when I do I request it to be made with all milk, no water.

At any rate, this morning I woke up to an article posted on Starbucks Gossip about those who use their laptops in Starbucks. You know the ones....they sit there for hours on end, take up extra chairs for their materials, spread out papers across the table while they sip a simple free glass of water and a regular coffee. I have found this to be particularly bad more recently at our neighborhood Starbucks. Most of the time when we walk in, there is no longer any seating available these days. I have even seen on numerous occasions people meeting at Starbucks, ask for a free glass of water, and proceed to conduct job interviews. Yes, really.

Well, according to the article I read this morning on Starbucks Gossip, Starbucks has possibly taken a passive-aggressive approach to curing the problem by installing metal covered over the outlets. Please note this is just talk about the measures some Startbucks have taken in a larger city, but this isn't the gazillion other Starbucks are doing.

I understand from business perspective why Starbucks may chose to cover their outlets. There have been times when I have walked into Stabucks, especially in the winter when it is dark outside and upon seeing no seating availability, we turn around and leave the location. I realize not everyone sitting in the store is using a laptop for hours. I really have no problem with latops or people sitting in Starbucks at all. It is just those who abuse Starbucks and take it to the extreme. I think it is absolutely a problem that needs to be addressed in some form or fashion.

Do you think covering the outlets is a good idea for Starbucks? Have you ever been frustrated by the folks who sit on their laptops for hours and hours?

My take is that I like the idea. I would suggest leaving one or two available outlets in one area of the store for those who wish to use laptops and require an outlet.

Homemade Layered Cake

2011-08-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

This was the first photo I was able to get of the cake before we cut into it. I mentioned at the end of my Extraordinary Desserts post that was inspired to make my own extraordinary dessert. I followed through on this and here it is!

For the first time in my life, I was out of granulated sugar so making a cake from scratch was out. I used a dark chocolate cake mix for this project. I knew one of layers in some of the cakes at Extraordinary Desserts was pastry cream. I never made pastry cream before but I am an adventurous baker so I went to AllRecipes.com to find a recipe for pastry cream.

Trying to decide another layer of delicious filling for this cake I decided that the milk chocolate espresso filling in my Espresso Twix dessert would work very well so I whipped up both fillings the day before making the cake to allow them to chill properly.

I made a homemade chocolate ganache to cover the cake and used extra milk chocolate espresso filling to pipe on and around the cake. For finishing touches, I ground some dark chocolate in my new cheese/chocolate grinder (I will share it with you soon, such a cool tool!) for the top of the cake.

I have leftover pastry cream that is calling me so I have plans to make a non-chocolate extraordinary cake later this week. If you decide to make this cake or something similar make sure you keep this baby refrigerated when not serving due to the fillings inside the cake. The recipes I used are linked in the post above.

~MSC

Extraordinary Desserts

2011-07-31T15:06:00.000-07:00

Myself and two of my friends visited Extraordinary Desserts last Thursday night to indulge ourselves in dessert and talk. We certainly induldged in desserts as we each bought two slices of cake. We got extra plates we could sample each of the slices.

I ordered a chai latte to start off with.

My friends both ordered coffee and it came with these brown sugar crystals pictured below.

Ready to get down to the dessert? I know I am. First up is one of the slices that I chose. This is a Torta Misu. Espresso soaked ricotta cake layers and Italian mascarpone rum cream. Served with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa.

This Extraordinary Carrot Cake was surprisingly my most favorite cake of the evening. I tasted some carrot cake along with other amazing textures and flavors that I couldn't pick apart. According to the website it has carrots, golden raisins, orange zest, chunks of pineapple, walnuts, and coconut are enveloped with a light cream cheese mousse.

The Chocolate Macadamia Torte was the second slice that I picked. It was pretty good, but some of the other slices stood out more. It is made from chocolate sponge cakes are painted with dark chocolate ganache, whipped cream, Myers's Rum flavor pastry cream, and roasted macadamia nuts.

This one is called Gianduia. I have no idea what that means but I have been meaning to Google it. It had a great mix of flavors that keep you interesting and guessing. This cake is made from Myer's Rum laced chocolate cake layers are married with hazelnut buttercream, chocolate mousse, boysenberry preserves, and crushed pralines.

My friend's favorite cake of the evening was the Lemon Ricotta. It is made of ricotta cake layers, lemon juice, lemon whipped cream, fresh blueberries and boysenberries. Check out the sauces on this one!

Finally, I couldn't find this one listed on the website but it is a Tiramisa with vanilla cake layers.

We made spectacle of ourselves because we by far had more dessert on our table than anyone else in the packed restaurant.

Leftovers to take home!

I wanted to share these beautiful desserts with you all as well as let you know that I was inspired after coming home from Extraordinary Desserts and I am creating my own Extraordinary Cake. It should be finished up by tonight so check back because I will be sharing it with you all very soon!

~MSC

Air Delight

2011-07-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Air Delight, that is the name of the new aerated Hershey's chocolate bar. I spotted this while standing in the checkout line at Target this afternoon. I can't resist a new candy bar, in fact I make it a point to try every new candy bar that comes out. Want to know what I think?

Basically it is a Hershey's milk chocolate candy bar but it has been aerated. Biting into the smooth milk chocolate proves to be lighter, but overall no different than the classic bar.

I watched this video on aerating chocolate several months ago if you are wondering how to do it at home.

Wasn't there an Aero bar by Nestle released in the United States during the 1990's? I remember the gray/silver packaging and tasting it after my mom let me get one after a trip to the grocery store as a child. I also remember the commericals where a women was bathing in a tub of the Aero bar chocolate and my family being turned off to the candy after watching that.

Have you tried the Hershey's Air Delight? What do you think?

~MSC

Peanut Butter Cup Tart

2011-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Rich. Very, very rich. It reminds me of a Reese's Cup although the base is a chocolate chip cookie.

I used this recipe for the chocolate chip cookie portion. First you will need to whip up the cookie batter. Spray your tart pan with a non-stick baking spray. I baked this at 325 degrees for 20-22 minutes. It will become golden brown within the last few minutes in the oven so keep an eye on it.

This is what it will look like coming out of the oven.

Let the cookie cool down for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime melt a couple of tablespoons of creamy peanut butter in a glass bowl in the microwave. It should take about 15-20 seconds. Stir and set aside. Next, melt about 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove, stir, and microwave for a few additional seconds if needed.

I typically use pastry bags for any piping needs, but I decided to try using sandwich bags this time. I took out two snack size sandwich bags putting chocolate in one and peanut butter in the other. Make sure you only snip off a very small corner.

I piped the peanut butter onto the cookie first, then the chocolate going at a different angle. I repeated this set until I piped them on twice each at different angles. Does that make sense?

I have from fresh homemade whipped cream so I used my jumbo cookie scoop to put the whipped cream in the middle of the cookie tart. It adds to the dessert visually but I found it also adds to the taste. You have to understand that this is a rich dessert and the whipped cream in some of the bites helped to lighten the taste.

Feel free to add a dollop of fresh whipped cream to each plate or slice just before serving. I had a little extra peanut butter and milk chocolate so I drizzled more over the whipped cream. You could also add chopped Reese's Cups if you dare.

Enjoy!

~MSC

Linking to Tuesdays At The Table.